The Brumbies and Rebels would have given their respective coaches Stephen Larkham and Kevin Foote heart palpitations, but Eddie Jones would have left AAMI Park smiling after an Australian classic on Sunday afternoon.
In greasy conditions after lunchtime rain, both sides put on a show but the Brumbies prevailed 33-26 in a brilliant affair in Melbourne.
The Brumbies looked like they would run over the top of the Rebels when Rob Valetini crashed over in the 63rd minute.
After multiple second half fades, including two against the Blues and Crusaders in the past month at home, it seemed like the Rebels’ depth and fitness would once again be exposed.
But some more poor execution from the Brumbies out of their half after scoring points, as well as a dog’s breakfast at the breakdown as Kiwi referee allowed both teams to get away with murder, gave the Rebels a sniff.
Noah Lolesio scored a first half double against the Rebels at AAMI Park, on May 07, 2023, in Melbourne. Photo: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
Eventually, the try came as the Brumbies’ lineout transition crumbled and Carter Gordon – the star of the day in his head to head battle with Noah Lolesio – swooped on the loose ball from Luke Reimar’s poor pass and scored to cut the margin to a converted try in the 72nd minute.
With all the momentum and more territory, the home side turned down multiple set-piece opportunities from penalties and instead played on quickly hoping to crash over. But after twice being held up over the line, the Rebels’ hopes were dashed when Cabous Eloff’s try was overturned for a second effort on the floor.
Not even a yellow card to Darcy Swain for cynical play on his own line helped, as the Rebels continued to try to barge over from close range. It didn’t work.
“We failed to execute there at the end,” vice-captain and centre Reece Hodge lamented.
“In hindsight, we probably should have gone the scrum with one of their locks off the field and closed it out. It’s disappointing.”
Lachlan Lonergan’s jersey was stripped on the stroke of half time at AAMI Park, on May 07, 2023, in Melbourne. Photo: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
Brumbies skipper Allan Alaalatoa was just happy to come away with the win, having almost blown the game in the final 15 minutes of the match.
“It was good,” he said. “You’ve definitely got to be proud of the effort.
“I thought maybe towards the last 10 minutes we lacked a bit of concentration and allowed them to get back into the game.
“But on the other side of that, I was just proud of the effort. Some big defensive plays on our goal line there saved the game today.”
While the match was billed as the Rebels versus the Brumbies, there was a game within a game as Gordon and Lolesio went toe-for-toe.
Lolesio scored a brilliant double, storming onto a ball to coast through after eight minutes before linking up beautifully with Tom Wright to score a second.
The vexed 23-year-old Test playmaker, who was repeatedly picked and dumped under Dave Rennie before being left out of Jones’ first training squad in April, yelled out “Carter Gordon” as he dived over for his second.
It wasn’t missed.
“Did he just say what I think he said?” Morgan Turinui asked in commentary. “I think he said someone’s name then.”
As the players broke for half-time, Lolesio let everyone in on what the game meant to him as he fights for a place on Jones’ World Cup ticket to France.
“It’s a bit personal this game but I’ll keep it on the field,” he said.
Not to be overshadowed, Gordon was brilliant.
He set up two tries with bullet-like passes, took the ball to the line, kicked well and was courageous in defence.
Even after getting flattened by Tamati Tua, the 22-year-old got up like a flash.
His physicality and ability to get back up would not have gone unnoticed by Jones, who was watching in the stands alongside defence coach Brett Hodgson and high performance guru David Rath.
Carter Gordon is joined by teammates after scoring against the ACT Brumbies at AAMI Park, on May 07, 2023, in Melbourne. Photo: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
While the Brumbies were very much their own worst enemy, the Rebels never went away and, with the exception of the final stages, regularly made the visitors pay.
Indeed, the Rebels raced out of the blocks in the second minute as breakaway Josh Kemeny burst onto an offload from back-row teammate Richard Hardwick and ran 50 metres to score.
Two excellent tries from Noah Lolesio saw the Brumbies take a 14-7 lead after 21 minutes, but not for the first time in the half the Brumbies failed to exit cleanly after scoring points.
The Rebels made the Brumbies pay as Lachie Anderson scored out wide after a beautiful left-to-right ball from Gordon.
A dominate rolling maul saw the Brumbies score through Jahrome Brown after 33 minutes and Lolesio’s conversion from out wide gave the visitors a 21-14 half-time lead.
The Brumbies looked like they would move into cruise mode when Brown had his second from a well-executed maul.
But Anderson’s second from another stunning Gordon pass that cut out two defenders kept the Rebels alive.
Some patient build up from the Brumbies eventually saw the visitors extend their lead out to 33-26, before another clumsy exist put the pressure back on them.
Gordon’s try was reward for an outstanding game, but not being able to close the match out will hurt even more.
The defeat leaves the Rebels two points outside the top eight before an important match against the Waratahs in Sydney next weekend, while the Brumbies moved up into second spot on 36 points – nine behind front-runners the Chiefs.
PeterK
Roar Guru
lolesio made 4 tackles missed, success rate 67% is not defending well at all. Gordon made 9 tackles, missed AND won 2 turnovers. Gordon was better in defence of that there is no doubt. Also much more of a playamker.
Rohan
Roar Rookie
Ok, 6th minute, took on the line, setting up Valentini out wide who was held up over the line; 7th minute, passed wide, did well at the breakdown, recovered position to run in his first try; 18th minute, runs off Wright to score 2nd try described by commentator as an "elite line" and by 20 minutes has scored 14 points by himself; 21 minutes, safe catch, 29 minutes goes wide but Brumbies turn it over on attack; 36 minutes, stops Talakai run from lineout 10 metres out, does same with another tight forward around 50 minute mark. Gets subbed 10 minutes later. So, IMHO, he ran well, passed well, defended well, & kicked well. CG had a good game and passed well, but his kicking was only OK, and he fell off 2 tackles leading to Brumbies tries.
PeterK
Roar Guru
you never answered what playmaking did nl do? What did he do well other than run the ball?
Rohan
Roar Rookie
Yep, not sure why I wrote Banks, of course it was Wright. My bad. I still think CG was only able to step up after NL was subbed and the Brumbies began to lose momentum. But I'll rewatch the game to see if I'm not giving CG enough credit. My point with his aimless kick and absent defence on Wright when NL scored was that his deficiencies seem to get overlooked. I'm probably a bit defensive of NL as I'm a Brumbies fan and IMHO he's been given a rough ride. I also worry CG will be subject to unrealistic expectations as the new Messiah, but hope he continues to impress.
PeterK
Roar Guru
banks doesn't play for brumbies anymore. What play by NL was indictative of good flyhalf play? He ran the ball well, he really played well as a 12 not a 10. Which players did he make better outside him, what playmaking did he do? Gordon did 2 try assists whilst NL was on, so it is blatantly incorrect to imply Gordon only played well (getting them into the game) once NL came off. Yes he scored his try after NL came off, but a flyhalf's role is more about game management and enabling players outside him to score tries. Gordon outplayed NL in the role of a 10 by a fair margin.
Rohan
Roar Rookie
Hi Peter, late reply to your post. Yes, IMHO QC is injury prone - I've previously posted I doubt he'll last the distance at the RWC, probably hurting something during a warm up. That said, IMHO he's a class person and he'd still be an asset for the squad. Agree with you re BF. Too slow. As for NL v CG, in truth they're pretty close, but during the Brumbies v Rebels game NL just shaved him, scoring from an aimless CG kick, returned by Banks who effortlessly stepped CG before offloading to NL for him to sprint to the line. CG only helped the Rebels back into the game after NL was subbed, and scored only via a silly Brumbies turnover. For all that, CG is very good. I'd be happy with all 3 in the squad, giving us different styles for different games or parts thereof, but not sure EJ will see likewise.
Nick Maguire
Roar Rookie
Correct, but we're talking about Carter Gordon not Noah Lolesio.
Guess
Roar Rookie
Right faster than Pocock but not as big as him and not as agile/fast as Hooper. He’s sort of 6.5? :laughing:
Wizz
Roar Rookie
Plays bigger.. mcreight plays like a faster version of Pocock I agree but can be shoved off ball much much easier than Pocock.
SDRedsFan
Roar Rookie
Carter Gordon is only one year younger than Lolesio.
Guess
Roar Rookie
Wilkin isn’t much bigger tho..just couple of cm and kg. Wilkin’s play is more similar to Hooper than mcreight. I don’t get why people say MCR is next Hooper, he’s more like next Pocock lol
Mike88
Roar Rookie
Are you OK mate? Bit of a strange ending to that point. Not sure if I will start seeing things as they are or more importantly, as you say they are. I'll have a think about that one. I'm not basing my overall opinion on Lolesio from what I saw in that game. I don't think you'll convince me that he's got what it takes to go to the line regularly or defend consistently. Hitting a ruck is easy and at super level, not anywhere close to the combat of test rugby nor European for that matter. Good luck ????
Guess
Roar Rookie
Lol guess the role of 10. Hint it's not scoring tries. In fact if your main scorer is 10 you're doing something wrong :laughing:
graymatter
Roar Rookie
Just re-watched the game. You're dreaming! Noah was in the rucks and making the tackles! Carter Gordon was serviceable. Full stop. No way did he outplay Lolesio. About time you started seeing the world as it is, not how you'ld like it to be!
graymatter
Roar Rookie
Guess - Suggest you rewatch the game. How is it a nowhere man scores two tries? As a word of advice I'd give up guessing!
graymatter
Roar Rookie
EXACTLY Husker! They are quick to provide blanket praise for Gordon but conveniently ignore his mistakes and defficiencies. I would have Lolesio any day. hHe is calm, considered and desn't panic!
graymatter
Roar Rookie
Agree DJ, We just all need to accept that Christy's on a mission to talk up Waratah players and peddle his propaganda to strive to get more Waratahs into the Wallaby test 23!
The Strategist
Roar Rookie
If I had a choice, I would prefer my 10 not kick for goal or the line. The halfway chat after a try/penalty and organising the next phase of play after a set piece are way more important for your playmaker than converting a goal or kicking for the line..
The Strategist
Roar Rookie
100% Mike. Lolesio finished 2 tries, didn’t create any. Your comment about “put in above his station and now feels aggrieved” is the best phrase I have read to explain his situation. He is a classic example of what has happen over the past 10 years. Players getting selected, not being good enough but continuiong to get selected so think they are entitled to the spot so don’t work on themselves to improve their game. I could name so many of these players. Gordon is showing everything a 10 needs to display. Has had to fight to get a shot and has worked on himself and his game. No show boating like Lolesio who’s an embarrassment when he does the odd good thing. Gordon definitely has the nerve for Test Match rugby.
CUW
Roar Rookie
well there is nothing that says a player cannot play on with a torn jersey or without a jersey!! im sure that was the interpretation when this happened https://www.rugbydump.com/news/jean-deysel-plays-on-despite-getting-jersey-ripped-by-rene-ranger/ but a more surprising decision was in the Fiji v Hurricanes match when the yellow team got a try - which was quite dubious. now a similar try was disallowed in URC match between Stormers n Bulls ( i think ) the clarification was no downward pressure on the ball - there is clear separation . for my amateur view - it was either both were trys or neither were trys. very confusing game - rugger :unhappy: :unhappy: :unhappy: :unhappy: